By Kat Birch
In honour of Women’s History Month 2023, I wanted to spotlight the incredible work done in aid of women’s rights here at Hull. Alongside creating a safe and inclusive community for all, the University of Hull’s Feminist Society (known as ‘Femsoc’) have made some truly incredible contributions to the fight for women’s safety in the last few years. From starting campaigns to hosting events, Femsoc have been a fantastic driver of women’s rights in Hull.
Safety Packs: During welcome week, Femsoc distributed 150-200 safety packs to students at the University of Hull. These included safe sex packs, sanitary products and pamphlets detailing women’s safety resources and what to do in the event of drink spiking.
Secure Night Out: Femsoc’s Treasurer Sela kick started an anti-spiking campaign titled Secure Night Out. The campaign aims to provide information and resources on drinks spiking, as well as providing a safe platform for testimonials. The Femsoc committee has been working on this campaign consistently since October 2022.
Vigil: On the anniversary of Libby Squire’s death, Femsoc hosted a vigil for the University of Hull Student. Several students and members of the public came to show their respects for Libby, and the event was covered by BBC Look North.
United Nations: Committee members Sela and Georgia have been appointed as delegates for the United Nations’ 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The session will focus on the primary theme of technology and education, striving for gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
Press: The society’s president Georgia has appeared on high profile news programmes such as BBC Look North, BBC Radio Humberside, as well as being written about by BBC News, the Lincolnite, Hull Live and Hull Daily Mail. This coverage has undoubtedly helped to get women’s safety on the agenda not just locally, but throughout the region and beyond.
This is just a snippet of the incredible work achieved by the University of Hull’s Feminist Society. In a month dedicated to recognising the achievements of women, I think we should take a moment to celebrate the achievements of Femsoc.
Find the Feminist Society on Instagram at: @femsoc.uoh
